By Herbert Crowther ’17, Sports Editor 

Last Thursday, countless U.S. students boarded a fleet of fan buses to make the journey to Columbus to watch the U.S. Varsity hockey team play Dublin Coffman in the first game of the “Frozen Four”. Coming off of a 2-1 victory over Shaker, U.S. entered Thursday’s game as favorites. Despite being matched up with a 3,000 student public school located in the greater Columbus area, the U.S. student section was almost as big and certainly as loud as our opposition’s. 

Coffman took the lead in the first period but U.S. quickly responded with a goal from Junior Alex Hoyen just before the end of the period. Hoyen was done one better by his fellow Junior J.D. Clemens as U.S. took a 2-1 lead later in the period. Coffman responded, however, and the game traveled to the third period tied at 2. The third period was chalked full of opportunities but no goal was found as the game moved to sudden death overtime. Once again, both student sections and fans were on the edges of their seats as shot after shot was saved by U.S. goalie Alec Silver and his Coffman counterpart, resulting in a second sudden death overtime.

The winning goal was found soon after the second overtime began. Junior Tommy Nook assisted Senior Robby Engoglia, and U.S. earned a spot in the state championship game two days later amidst frenzy in the student section.

On Saturday, droves of students made the 2 hour journey to Columbus once more to watch U.S. face off against St. Ignatius. Ignatius took the lead only seconds into the game, but James Koch soon equalized for the Preppers. What followed was an Ignatius led barrage that left U.S. 4-1 down as the third and final period got underway. In need of an incredible comeback, hope was restored as Robby Engoglia scored soon into the period. With less than a minute remaining J.D. Clemens scored again and the Preppers were within striking distance. With the goalie pulled and Ignatius feeling the nerves, a fourth goal proved impossible to come by in the remaining seconds and the game ended 4-3.